SEA Games: Singapore fall 48-42 to defending champions Malaysia in netball final
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Nicole Chia
Follow topic:
MANILA - A few misplaced passes in the third quarter made all the difference in the SEA Games netball final, as Singapore lost 48-42 to defending champions Malaysia for the second straight Games on Monday (Dec 2).
A tense final at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex saw the Malaysian bench chanting each time Singapore's shooters took the shot, but the Republic started strong to take a 9-4 advantage.
Malaysia did not back down, however, and narrowed the gap to a one goal difference with Singapore winning the first quarter 13-12.
Both sides were evenly matched in the second quarter and though Malaysia often edged ahead first, Singapore's tight defence ensured the defending champions could not extend their lead. The half-time score was locked at 21-21.
The score remained close in the third quarter until a bungled pass gave Malaysia possession and a 27-25 lead which they never relinquished.
As the 2015 champions unravelled, falling behind by as many as 11 goals at one point, Malaysia kept their momentum until the final whistle sealed the win.
